Door lock



July 13, 1948. J. H. ROETHEL DOOR LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 2, 1944 INVENTOR. 5745/7 /Z Falf''l July 13, 1948.

DOOR LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 2, 1944 NVENTOR. JH /7/, aezYeZ IJuly 13, v1948. J, H ROETHEL 2,445,187

DOOR LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 2, 1944 Zz f NVENTOR. Jn Faez July 13, 1948- J. H. ROETHEL 2,445,187

DOOR LOCK Filed Nov. 2, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fe/@wif l a.

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Patented July 13, 1948 UNITED STATES 'PATENT oFFlca DOOR LOCK John H. Roethel, Detroit, Mich. i Application November 2, 1944, Serial No. 561,512

This invention relates to door locks and especially to a door lock including improved latch and striker or keeper mechanism useful for the swinging doors of vehicles, particularly automobile bodies.

An object of the invention is to provide a door lock having a latch bolt and improved mechanism of a relatively simple, compact and economical nature for retracting the bolt and also for restraining the bolt against retraction when it is desired to lock the door.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved and simple means operable either by a plunger at the inside of the door or by key actuated means from the outside of the door for rendering the latch bolt non-retractible while at the same time permitting the outside handle to be turned freely.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved striker or keeper device for the latch bolt which is compact, simple and economical in construction, efcient in operation while also ensuring quiet closing of the door.

' Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speciilcation wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating an automobile door equipped with a lock mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking towards the outer side of the lock mechanism when installed in the door.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially through lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially through lines 4-4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially through lines 5-5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a face view of the striker device when installed upon the jamb edge of the body pillar.

Fig. 7 is a section taken substantially through lines 1-1 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially through lines 8-8 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the striker device.

12 Claims. (Cl. 292-164) Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in part similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the position of the parts when the latch bolt is retracted by turning the outside -door handle.

Fig. 11 is a view generally similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the lock bar in dogging position to restrain retraction of the latch bolt.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modiiied construction embodying means for blocking operation of the lock bar when the door is open.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view, in part similar to Fig. 12, illustrating the lock bar in unblocked position when the door is closed.

Fig. 14 lis a section taken substantially through lines Il-Il of Fig. 12 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 15 is an end view of the bolt taken in the the direction of the arrow I5 in Fig. 14.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the drawings there is illustrated, by way of example, certain embodiments of the invention as applied to the front swinging door of an automobile body B having an outer door panel 20, an outside handle 2| and an inside remote control handle 22, the handles being of the usual construction which may be turned in orderto retract the latch bolt to permit the door 'to be opened. The door of the automobile body is provided with the usual inner metal door panel 23 provided withv lamb edge of the door.

a flange 24 forming the The latch mechanism is carried by a case plate 2S mounted against the inner face of the inner dooi` panel 23 and formed with a flange 25a engaging the inside face of the door jamb 24 and secured thereto in the usual manner by means of screws. The door jamb 24 and case plate iiange 26a are provided with alined apertures through which extend a longitudinally slidable latch bolt 28. As shown in Fig. 3, the latch bolt is reduced in thickness to provide a longitudinally extending shank 2l extending along the face of the case plate 25.

A bolt locking member or lock bar 2B is pivoted at one end through the medium of a stud 2-8 to the inner end of the bolt shank 21 so as to swing vertically on this stud about a transverse horizontal axis. The stud 29 provides the connection for one end of a remote control link 30 which has a lost motion slot 3| through which the stud 29 extends, thus permitting the bolt 26 to be retracted relatively to the remote control link when the outer door handle 2| is turned. Fixed to the bolt shank 21 is a guide stud or headed pin 32 the shank of which is adapted to be received in an arcuate slot 33 formed in the lock bar 28, this construction being such as to permit the lock bar tc swing vertically on its pivot 29 with the end of the bar guided on the stud 32 by means of the slot 33. 'I'he bar 28 is embossed at its end to provide a bearing flange 34, see Fig. 3, positioned for engagement by a cam or rollback 35. 'I'his cam or rollback may be formed as a stamping integral with a supporting piece 35a embossed to provide a. portion rotatable upon a bearing boss 25h formed from the metal of the case plate 25, as shownin Fig. 5. The plate 35a, which in the present instance is integral with the rollback or cam 35', has a squared aperture 35b to receive the handle shaft 36 to which the outer door handle 2| is secured.

Thus, by turning the handle 2| to rotate the plate 35a, the rollback 35 will be swung rearwardly into engagement with' the ilanged end,l 34 of the lock bar 28, thereby retracting the latch bolt 26 by reason of the fact that the lock bar is connected to the latch bolt shank 21 through the medium of the studs 29 and 32. The retracted position of the latch bolt as a result of this operation is illustrated in Fig. 10. Retraction of the latch bolt is resisted by means of a spiral clocktype spring 38 secured to the case plate and having one end 38a engaging an abutment piece 39 secured to the latch bolt shank 21 by means of the rivet 32, see Fig. 3. The rear end of the bolt shank is guided in its longitudinal movement by means of a horizontal guide slot 40 through which the shank of a shoulder rivet 4| extends, this rivet or stud being rigidly secured to the case plate 25.

The lock bar 28 not only provides thrust means engaged by the cam or rollback 35 for retracting the latch bolt but also provides means for dogging or restraining the latch bolt against retraction. Operation of the lock bar 28 for this purpose is accomplished through the medium of a slide bar 42. This bar is provided with' a vertical slot 43 within which the shank of the stud 4| has a sliding t, the stud terminating in a projecting head overlapping the edges of the slot 43. Pivoted to the upper end of the slide bar 42 is a rod 44 extending vertically at the inside of the door through the window sill. The rod 44 is threaded to receive a knob 45 at its upper end which may be pushed down or pulled upwardly to shift the slide bar 42 in a vertical direction into or out of its positions shown in Figs. 2 and 11.

The slide bar 42 lies between the latch bolt shank 21 and the lock bar 28 and is provided at its rear vertical edge with outwardly bent spaced projections 46 and 41 which embrace an inwardly projecting flange 48 on the lower edge of the lock bar. The projections or tongues 46, 41 interconnect the slide bar 42 and the lock bar 28 whereby vertical movement of the slide bar will operate to swing the lock bar in a corresponding direction. The lower end of the slide bar 42 is guided on the case plate by means of a headed stud or rivet 49 secured to the case plate and having a sliding llt in a vertical slot 56 in the slide bar. The lock bar 28 is provided with' a curved notch 28a normally positioned immediately below the head or stud 4 Hence, when the lock 4 bar 28 is swung upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1l, the notch 28a will embrace the head of the stud 4| with the head of the stud forming an abutment engaged by the forward upright edge of the notch, thereby preventing the latch bolt from being retracted by operation of the inside handle 22 and remote control link 36. Furthermore, when the lock bar 2S is swung upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 11, the thrust end 34 thereof will be moved out of the path of th'e rollback or cam 35, thus permitting the outside handle 2| to be turned freely against the action of its return spring 31 without engaging the lock bar or retracting the latch bolt. Thus, when the inside knob 45 is pulled upwardly to shift the slide bar 42 in the same direction, thereby swinging the lock bar 28 out of the path of the rollback 35, the outside door handle will be in free turning position and, furthermore, the inside door handle 22 will be blocked against turning by the cooperation of the parts 28a and 4|.

Overlying the face of the slide bar 42 at the lower end thereof and rigidly secured to the case plate by suitable means including the shoulder rivet 49 is a retainer plate 5|. This plate, as shown in Fig. 4, is embossed out to provide a housing within which lie the upper and lower vertically spaced forked ends 52 and 53 of the slide bar 42. The case plate is provided with a bearing boss 25e providing a. bearing for a rotatable disk 54 which has a projecting finger 55 adapted to swing when the disk ls rotated Within a curved cut-away notch 56 formed in the slide bar 42 between the forked ends 52 and 53 thereof. The disk 54 is provided with a projection extending through a hole in the plate 5| and provided with a square hole to receive a key operated shaft 51. This shaft is connected in conventional manner to the rotatable cylinder ff the usual key operated outside door lock.

When the key is turned in the lock to turn the shaf t 51 in a counter-clockwise direction, as

viewed in Fig. 1l, the cam finger 55 will engagev the projection 52 on the slide bar and shift it upwardly, thereby imparting corresponding vertical sliding motion to the slide bar. When the key is turned in the opposite direction to turn the shaft 51 clockwise, the cam finger 55 will swing downwardly into engagement with the projection 53, thereby shifting the slide bar 42 to its position shown in Fig. 2, this operation resulting in returning the lock bar 28 to its operative position with respect to the rollback 35 and undogging the latch bolt.

In Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive there is illustrated. a. striker or keeper mechanism mounted upon the lamb edge of the body pillar and cooperable with the latch bolt 26 for locking the door in closed or partially closed position. Th'e striker unit comprises a pressed metal backing plate 50 adapted to be secured by screws 60a to the pillar. Secured to this backing plate by clinched-over tongues 6|a is a casing or housing 6| the bottom of which is open Anchored in holes in the backing plate and front wall of the casing 3| is a longitudinally extending short bearing shaft 63 anchored to the pillar by means of a screw 62 extending through the shaft. Mounted in common upon the shaft 63 and arranged side by side are a pair of downwardly projecting striker members 64 and 65. These members in the present instance are stamped out of sheet metal into generally channel shape, thereby giving to them the requisite strength and rigidity. The striker members intermediate their ends are provided with flanged apertured bearing hubs receiving the shaft Il and rotatable thereon.` The upper ends 65 and `51, respectively, of the striker members 64-and 55 are correspondingly contoured so as to engage in common. a rubber bumper Il secured to the casing I and backing plate 60 by a through rivet or stud 68a. Thus, in the latch bolt locking position of the striker members the upper ends thereof abut against the bumper 66 and, hence, prevent or restrain outward swinging movement of the lower ends of the striker members under the outward pressure exerted by the latch bolt when the door is closed.

The striker member 65 forms the safety locking step for the bolt and the striker member 64 forms the iinal locking step in the position of the latch bolt when the door `is fully closed. The lower end of the striker member 64 is widened by embossing the metal outwardly to provide a relatively wide bearing end formed with an inclined bearing face 10a engageable by the tapered or bevelled upper edge 26a of the bolt. as shown in Fig. 6. The lower end of the safety striker member 65 is also widened at 69 as by embossing the metal to provide a relatively wide inclined bearing surface 69a cngageable by the tapered edge of `the bolt when the bolt is in its safety locking position in the space formed between the diverging striker members. It will thus be seen that,although the striker members are arranged on the shaft 63 side by side and in compact relation between embossed portions on the casing and backing plate, as shown in Fig. 7, the lower ends of thestriker members are widened out so as to provide bearing surfaces of maximum width engageable by the end of the latch bolt. A very compact and simple construction is, therefore, provided which ensures full contact of the end of the bolt over substantially equal areas of the striker members.

When the door is closed the latch bolt 26 moves transversely beneath th-e casing 6| and successively engages the ends 69 and 10 of the striker members 65 and 64, respectively. The striker members are swung upwardly or inwardly as the bolt moves to its nal position sho-wn in Fig. 6, and the striker members are successively returned to their locking positions by means of springs 1i and 12. As shown in Figs. '7 and 8, each of these springs comprises a series of coils housed within the channel-shaped striker member and wound .n anais? door against downward vibratory movement dur' ing operation of the vehicle. Engagement of the around the hub thereof. The inner ends of the springs are anchored to the respective striker members and the outer ends are anchored to a tongue 13 formed from the metal of the casing. Thus, it will be seen 'that the striker lmembers extend downwardly in diverging relation into the path of the latch bolt, are mounted side by side upon a common pivot, and are held in locking positions by a common bumper 68 engaging the upper ends of the members. In addition, the return springs for the striker members arehoused within these members and lie within the transverse width thereof, thus permitting la very compact construction to be provided. Moreover, the nested relation of the striker members and their widened lower ends permit maximum bearing engagement by the latch bolt.

The upper edge of the striker casing 6i has an inclined face 6Ib adapted to be engaged by a wedge member 14 on the jamb edge of the door above the latch bolt so that when the door is closed cooperation between the wedge member and inclined surface 6 Ib will maintain the correct cooperating wedgingfaces 26a of thev bolt and 16a of the striker member 64 will restrain the door against upward movement during operation.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 12 to 14 inclusive provision is made for blocking the lock' bar 26 so as to prevent'it from being shifted upwardly by the'knob 45 and plunger 44 when the door is open, thus preventing closing of the door in locked condition. The wedge member 14 is hollow in cross-section and is carried by a plate 14a secured, as by spot-welding, to the inside of the case plate flange 25a. The lock bar 26 is provided at its outer end with an upward extension 15 having a tapered edge 15a. Pivoted at 11 t'o the case plate is a detent 16 which is angularly formed to provide an arm 16a. terminating in a tapered edge 16b shaped to engage the correspondingly tapered edge 15a oi' the extension 15. The opposite end of the detent 16 is in the form of an angularly extending finger 16e engageable with an extended portion 15 of a slide 19 guided vertically on the plate 14a by a slot 80 in the slide and a fixed guide stud 8i extended through the slot. The upper end of the slide 19 is bent outwardly and downwardly to provide a contact portion 19a projecting through .a slot in the bottom wall of the wedge 14. The lower edge of the contact piece 19a is tapered to providel a cam edge 19h engageable with the inclined surface 6Ib of the casing when the door is closed. The detent 16 is normally held in its position shown in Fig. 12 by a spring 62 coiled around the stud 11 and connected at oppositev ends to the detent and the case plate. When the door is open, therefore, the spring will hold the detent in position to cause the arm 16a thereof to engage the upper end of the extension' 15 of the lock bar 28. This affords an abutment or block, preventing the lock bar from being swung upwardly into its locking position shown in Fig. 11. Thus, when the door is open the plunger 44 cannot be pulled upwardly to swing the lock bar out of the path of the rollback 35 and, hence, the door cannot be inadvertently closed and in locked condition. However, when the door is closed the contact piece 19a will ride over the inclined surface 6ib of the casing and will be forced upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 13, thus raising the part 1B of the kick-out slide 19 and also raising the finger 16e. This results in swinging the arm 16a of the detent out of the path of the extension 15 of the lock bar. As long as the door is closed, therefore, the lock bar will not be blocked by the detent and the plunger 44 may be pulled upwardly from the inside of the car to lock the latch bolt in the manner shown in Fig. 11.

As illustrated particularly in Figs. 14 and 15 the latch bolt 26 is beveled or tapered in two directions, namely at 26a and 26h, in order not only to provide wedging contact of the surface 26a with the striker member 64 but also to ensure the bolt going home when released after retraction by the handle. The transverse beveled or tapered surface 26a at the outer side of the bolt is beveled longitudinally at 26h soas to taper or slope toward the end of the bolt angularly and downwardly with respect to the horizontal. Assuming the door is in closed position and the handle is turned to retract the latch bolt away from striker 64, release of the handle will permit the bolt returnspring to project the bolt outvertical position of the door and will hold the wardly toward the striker member. The taper 7 V 28a ensures the end of the bolt clearing the working edge of the striker and also due to its wedging action permits the bolt to be forced outwardly and home into tight engagement with the striker in locking position.

I claim: 4

1. In a latch for a swinging door, a longitudinally extending latch bolt, a vertically swinging member pivoted to the bolt, a shiftable cam element engageable with said memberfor retracting the latch bolt in an endwise direction, manual means for vertically shifting said member out of engagement by said element, and a dog element shiftable intoy position when the door is opened for blocking said member against verti c'al movement.

2. In a latch for a swinging door, a longitudinally extending latch bolt, a vertically swinging member pivoted to the bolt, a shiftable cam element engageable with said member for retracting the latch bolt in an endwise direction, manual means for vertically shiftingsaid member out of engagement by said element, a dog element shiftable into position when the door is opened for blocking said member against vertical movement, and means adapted to be mounted on the door jamb and engageable by a member on the door frame for shifting said dog element into unblocking position when the door is closed.

3. In a latch forl a swinging door, a. longitudinally extending latch bolt, a vertically swinging member pivoted to the bolt, a shiftable cam element engageable with said member for retracting the latch bolt in an endwise direction, manual means for vertically shifting said member out of engagement by said element, a spring pressed dog element movable into position when the door is open for blocking said member, and means adapted to be mounted on the door jamb and engageable by a member on the door frame for shifting said dog element out of blocking position when the door is closed.

4. In a latch for a swinging door, a longitudinally extending latch bolt, a vertically shiftable member mounted on the latchI bolt, a shiftable cam element engageable with said member for retracting the latch bolt in an endwise direction, manual means for vertically shifting said member out of engagement by said element, and a dog element shiftable into position when the door is opened for blocking said member against vertical movement.

5. In a door latch for a swinging door hinged to a door frame, a latch bolt, a shiftable member connected to the bolt, a thrust element engageable with said member for retracting the bolt, manual means for moving said member out of engagement by said element, a spring urged dog normally moved by its spring into position to block movement of said member out of engagement by said element, and means projecting at the jamb edge of the door and actuated by a part on the door frame for moving said dog out of blocking position.

6. In a'door latch for a swinging door hinged to a door frame, a shiftable latch bolt, a shiftable member connected to the bolt, a spring urged dog normally moved by its spring into position to restrain movement of said shiftable member, and means projecting at the jamb edge of the door and actuated .by a, part on the door frame for moving said dog out of said restraining position.

'7. In a door latch for a swinging door hinged to a door frame, a shiftable latch bolt, a shiftable member connected to the bolt. a swinging spring urged dog normally moved by its spring into position to restrain movement of said shiftable member, and vertically shiftable means projecting at the jamb edge of the door and actuated by a part on the door frame for moving said dog out of said restraining position.

8. In a door latch device for a swinging door, a support, a latch carried by said support, a shiftable member connected to said latch, a dog mounted onA said support and having a part movable into position to restrain movement oi.' said shiftable member, and means projecting at the jamb edge of the door and engageable with a part on the door frame for moving said part of the dog out of said restraining position.

9. In a door latch device for a swinging door, a support, a latch shiftable on the support, a shiftable member connected to said latch, means mounted on the support and movable into position to restrain movement of said member, and means projecting at the jamb edge of the door and actuated by means on the door frame for moving said rst named means out of said restraining position.

10. In a door latch device for a swinging door, a support, a latch shiftable on the support, a shiftable member connected to said latch, detent means mounted on the support and movable into position to restrain movement of said member, and vertically shiftable means projecting at the jamb edge of the door and actuated by means on the door frame for moving said iirst named means out of said restraining position.

11. In a door latch device for a swinging door, a support, a latch shiftable on the support, a shiftable member connected to said latch, means mounted on the support and movable into positionr to restrain movement of said member, means projecting at the jamb edge of the door and actuated by means on the door frame for moving said rst named means out of said restraining position, and manually releasable means for blocking shiftable movement of the latch when the door is in closed position.

12. In a door latch device for a swinging door, a support, a latch bolt extending longitudinally with respect to the door, a swinging member operatively connected to the bolt, a spring urged device for restraining swinging movement of said member when the door is in open position, and means engageable with a part on the door frame when the door is closed for shifting said device out of restraining position with respect to said member.

JOHN H. ROETHEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,498,802 McRae et al June 24, 1924 1,541,312 Archer et al June 9, 1925 1,840,062 Taylor Jan. 5, 1932 2,053,880 Terenyi et al Sept. 8, 1936 2,143,510 Dean Jan. 10, 1939 2,307,674 Greig Jan. 5J 1943 2,310,549 Roethel Feb. 9, 1943 

